GPL-compliant version of RTLinux Open Patent License in Works

Here is our new announcement as of Oct 8 (its actual posting was
delayed).

The Free Software Foundation and Finite State Machine Labs Inc.
(FSMLabs) today announced the release of the Open RTLinux patent
license Version 2 fully compliant with the Free Software
Foundation's GNU General Public License (GNU GPL). The Open Patent
License grants the right to use U.S. Patent No. 5,995,745 in
GPL-covered free software without payment of a royalty. This
license protects GPL use of the RTLinux process.

FSMLabs and FSF expect the release of this license to accelerate the
rate of the free software revolution in the fields of embedded and
realtime computing. These areas have been isolated from the
mainstream of progress in software development by proprietary software
based on secrets and incompatibilities designed to lock customers into
proprietary technology. The availability of superior free software
has already lead to many innovative projects from large corporations
thousands of individuals and small companies all over the world. FSF
thanks FSMLabs for its continuing contributions to the free software
community.

The Free Software Foundation and Finite State Machine Labs (FSMLAbs) have
come to an agreement on a fully GPL-compliant version of FSMLabs RTLinux
Open Patent License. FSF and FSMLabs are working to finalize the license
language; FSMLabs will be publishing on its website the text of that
license, with a statement by FSF confirming its GPL-compliant status, in
the very near future. FSF has already withdrawn its press statement
issued Friday September 14 concerning RTLinux license terms. Our
differences turned out to be mostly a result of unfortunate
miscommunications and we urge everyone to put this dispute behind them.
FSF and FSMLabs expect to continue their cooperation to secure
availability of FSMLabs patented technology for use in GNU/Linux systems.
The FSF thanks FSMLabs for its contribution of this patent license to the
free software community, and for its longstanding support and publication
of free software under the GPL.